Cereal and dairy groups eye nutrition push

A UK-based breakfast cereal association says it is teaming up with its dairy counterparts to this month kick off a new promotion scheme playing up the nutritional benefits of consuming the products.

The Association of Cereal Food Manufacturers (ACFM) said that the partnership with Dairy UK and The Dairy Council aims to present research and trends on the potential nutritious benefits of milk and cereal to a diet. The ACFM, which represents a number of breakfast cereal makers operating in the country including Kellog's and the Weetabix Food Company, said that focus will include all types of cereal products from whole grain to higher-sugar and salted products. Nutrient diversity However, a spokesperson for the partnership told BakeryandSnacks.com that with a growing number of health-conscious consumers skipping breakfast, it hoped to raise awareness of the "nutrient diverse" combination of consuming breakfast cereal and milks together. The spokesperson said that while it was still early days for the future focus of the partnership, she added that the combined industries might review additional research and even innovation schemes in the future. The ACFM says that its first campaign will focus on YouGuv research that suggests 60 per cent of tested UK consumers believe breakfast to be the most important meal of the day. FSA view This belief mirrors the UK Food Safety Authority's (FSA) view that consuming whole grain cereals with fruit or juice is one of its "Top Tips" for eating well, according to the partnership. ACFM spokesperson Juliet Bennett said that breakfast cereals had long been associated as an important source of consuming milk in the country and was therefore a vital part of any diet. "Working in partnership with the dairy sector to promote the joint health benefits of these two staples makes perfect sense," she stated. "The vital nutrients that cereal and milk provide, such as fibre, folate and calcium are those that can often be in short supply in the overall diet."Balanced diet However, national health charity The British Heart Foundation, stressed that no one type of food or beverage product could alone be enough to ensure a healthy and nutritious diet. A spokesperson for the charity said that a balanced diet, reliant on no one particular food stuff, therefore remained the best way for consumers to ensure they are fulfilling their nutritional requirements.

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